Trouble Maker (4)

When Yu Ronglou ran far enough, she slumps on the ground behind a big tree. By the looks of it, she was close to the edge of the Academy. Heading towards the forest. She sighed and closed her eyes. Fang Jing, even in this life she met Fang Jing. Bad memories flashed into her mind.

Aside from Xu Fengxin, Fang Jing was someone dear to her heart as well. Their accidental meetings, their talks, walks, his confession and his death. She closed her eyes and let her tears fell silently. She was used to crying soundlessly. Inside the Palace, how many times did she cried silently? Anyone would frown upon her when someone sees the Mother of the Nation in that situation. Didn't they made fun of her for being called the "Mother of the Nation", when she herself doesn't have a child. Everyone had thought that she was an Eggless Hen. One who can never give birth. Some of them were even sending petitions to the Emperor to make her step down her throne.

Xu Fengxin never really clarified that issue. He knows why she wasn't able to have a child and yet he didn't bother explaining nor fixing that issue by consummating their marriage. These thoughts flooded her mind again. She hated it every time she remembers her previous life. Yu Ronglou thought that she was already okay, but one look from Fang Jing made her understand that she wasn't okay. She was given a new life and yet her nightmares were still following her.

Fang Jing. Where did he fit into this puzzle? He was the only man that actually confessed his feelings to her in her previous life. Even knowing that she was Emperor Xu's Empress. At that time, Xu Fengxin had already almost conquered all the Zhenglin Continent. Aside from two other bigger Kingdoms. One was the Fang Kingdom, where Fang Jing was the Emperor. Although he had a harem already at that time, he didn't have an Empress. They met at a fated accidental meeting.

Yu Ronglou cried and cried until her eyes dried up and gotten tired. Still, one would not be able to hear her sobs. It was almost sunset when she was able to calm herself down. She wiped her tears away and went straight back to her courtyard. She walked absentmindedly, weak and hungry. Yu Ronglou didn't even notice that Tai Xingfu was looking at her from next door.

When she was about to enter her courtyard, Tai Xingfu finally couldn't take it anymore and called out her name. "Fei'er! Where have you been? The servants have delivered your food earlier but you weren't inside." As he got closer, he noticed that her eyes had turned puffy and red. Her nose and ears as well. She had been crying? he thought. For some reason, it made him uncomfortable inside.

Yu Ronglou turns her body towards her Master and saluted. "Master. I was trying to familiarize the Academy when I had gotten lost. I haven't eaten anything yet." As if on cue again, her stomach rumbled. Her cheeks turned red out of embarrassment.

Hearing her stomach making noise, Tai Xingfu sighed and put both of his hands into her shoulder. What a trouble maker, he thought. "Let's go inside my courtyard. I'll have food ready. I'm your Master so you better listen to me. If you needed anything and I mean anything, you have to tell me. It's my responsibility to take care of you! Understood?"

Yu Ronglou was shocked and blushed again. For some reason, she thought of Tai Xingfu not as a master but just a regular man. Argh! How frustrated was she towards love?! She smiled shyly at him and nodded.

Tai Xingfu saw her blushed and it made him smile to see her smiling. He patted her head and pulled her wrist. Weird but he liked holding her wrist. As if he was making sure that she wouldn't go anywhere.

Looking at Tai Xingfu's hand on her wrist, Yu Ronglou smiled. Well, she had a new life. Maybe in this lifetime, she could really have a happy life. Whoever it might be with.

-----

Out in the shadows, Fang Jing stared at Tai Xingfu's hand on that girl's wrist. Somehow he felt uncomfortable. His mind wanted him to dash straight there and distance her from Tai Xingfu.

"Master? She was Tai Xingfu's disciple?" Fang Jing rubbed his chin as he thought about it. No matter how curious he was to her identity, he couldn't neglect the fact that he was due to leave anytime soon. He needed to return to the Fang Kingdom and do his duties as Kingdom's Crown Prince.